Paper money counting mechanism



Feb. 8, 1938. F. J; CALLEN 7 PAPER MONEY COUNTING MECHANISM Filed Feb 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 7 l s o 2 3 WW Feb. 8, 1938. F.'J.1CALLEN PAPER MONEY COUNTING MECHANISM Filbd Feb. 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm Run/r J L'aZZe/z Patented F ch. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFECE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a machine or mechanism for counting paper money.

It is aimed to provide a novel means minimizing the danger of paper money or bills sticking together and a plurality being erroneously counted as one.

It is further aimed to provide a novel structure it herein the bills are removed by suction, conveyed through a distance sufiicient to enable adhering bills to become dislodged and then to be stripped.

It is still further aimed to provide such a structure wherein the counted bills are filed or stacked.

Various additional objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:-

Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the apparatus;

5 Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View through the stacking drawer and its mounting;

Figure -l is a detailed section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view through part of the apparatus;

Figure 6 a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 6- i of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detailed section taken on the line 'l-1 of Figure l; and

Figure 8 is a detailed section taken on the line 88 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, it designates a suitable stand or support having bearings ii in which a shaft I2 is journalled and which shaft is adapted to be manually turned through manipulation of a crank l3. A drum or Wheel'is provided at 14. Such drum or wheel 54 has a hub l5 keyed to the shaft 12 as at l6 so as to rotate therewith. A casing II is rigid with the hub and divided by the latter into four (4) non-communicating compartments or chambers E8 in each of which a suction fan i9 is mounted, being driven for instance by an electric motor 2%. Suitable connections are made with a source or sources of electric energy to continuously drive each of the motors and associated fans I9.

Extending from each chamber 18 rigid with the casing II and hub, is a hollow tube or spoke 25. Said spokes 2! at their outer ends are rigidly connected to a ring or rim 22 at the outer surface or periphery of which as the tubes 2! are opened.

The drum or wheel is adapted to move clockwise to convey bills or paper currency or the like 23 from a stack and which bills are adapted to be stripped from the periphery of the rim 22 by a chute 24, preferably of channel shape as shown in Figure 4, and curved, down which chute, the bills or the like fall by gravity and are caught in slidably removable drawer 25 carried by a frame the chute and frame being supported in any desired manner as by means of brackets 27 connected thereto and also connected to the frame iii. A displaceable spring member 28 on the frame 26, normally prevents displacement of the drawer 25.

The bills or other articles to be counted are disposed within a receptacle 29, resting on a vertically movable false bottom 30 and normally resting on an inwardly extending flange 3| at the lower edge of receptacle 29. In addition, a closure 32 is provided at one end of the receptacle for lowering to permit the bills 23 to be replenished. This closure is secured in place by a spring hinge at 33, the spring urging the closure to and normally maintaining it in closed position. A bracket 34 supports the receptacle 29 on frame work ill.

As suction through the tubes 2! is adapted to U member 38 of a conventional counter 37 suitably 1 supported on the frame work Ill, such counter thus being operated every time one of the projections 35 engages member 36 and thus four times for each revolution of the rim, and being designed to count up to any desired number, for instance 50, which is the number of bills usually packaged in a bank.

In the operation of the device, handle I3 is turned to rotate the wheel or drum. While one hand is used for the foregoing purpose, the other hand presses upwardly on the false bottom 3! so that as each tube 21 passes over the pile of bills 22, it will by suction remove the uppermost bill maintaining it by such suction in contact with the periphery of the rim 22 until the bills reach the chute 24 which strips the bills from the rim 22 so that they fall or slide down the chute 24 into the drawer 25. During such rotation of the wheel drum, it is clear that the motors 20 are energized and that the suction fans H! are in operation. When the operator has removed the desired number of bills as indicated by the counter 31, for instance 56, he stops turning the crank l3 and removes or bundles the counted pile of bills in the drawer 25. It is clear that since the bills travel a substantial distance to the Wheel while exposed, any bills adhering to the bills in direct contact with the periphery of the drum, will fall therefrom.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall Within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

A structure of the class described comprising a rotating element having a rim of annular form, a hub having compartments therein, hollow spokes leading from the hub and being in communication with the compartments and open at the periphery of the rim, means for creating a suction Within the compartments and through the spokes serving to cause articles to adhere to the periphery of the rim, a shaft for said hub, and a plate closing one side of the hub and mounting said means for creating a suction, said chambers being in communication with the atmosphere through said hub and plate.

FRANK J. CALLEN. 

